Harrison House (Fredericton)

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: erratic formatting of section headings. Please help if you can. (December 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Harrison House is a university residence at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It was built in 1962 as part of the largest building program ever at UNB which included several other residences and faculty buildings. When it was built, it was operated as an all-male residence, but from September 1991 to present, it has been a co-ed residence on the UNB Fredericton campus. The mascot for Harrison is the Husky and the house colours consist of red, and black.^[1]

Residence community at UNB[]

At UNB in 2011, there are fourteen different residence houses to choose from, each with its own character, culture, and traditions. There are one men's, two women's, nine co-ed, one apartment style, and one suite style residence.^[2] Most of the early residences have changed in format from single-gender houses to co-educational style configurations since their original construction from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Harrison changed from male residence to co-ed residence for autumn 1991.

Community organization[]

The UNB residence community is loosely based upon the Oxbridge system of separate colleges within a federalised university system. As such, Harrison is part of a larger community of residences at UNB. It is located as part of campus' central 'quad' zone. The residence community has various staff and leadership, and at the house-level, a Don -(faculty/staff or senior grad student )- who lives in the residence. The Don is assisted by floor Proctors and educational Proctors - (senior undergraduates who help the students adjust to residence and university life).

UNB social life[]

The social aspect of life in residence, and particularly in Harrison has changed substantially over the years with each subsequent time period referring to a past period as a utopia. Accurately, each change has imposed a different degree of controls on social activity.

At one time, many residences operated in-house bars wherein they hosted regular parties. In later years, the bars were abolished, and the Dean of Residence office operated Campus Bar Services, a travelling bar service. Bar Services would be hired by each residence when hosting a regulated social event, of which several were permitted per term. There is now a limit of one such party per term. These limitations have been enforced to alter the image of UNB as a party-school. Also, the Liquor store on Prospect Street was named the busiest in the province, anecdotally because it was closest to UNB.^{[citation needed]}

Harrison House student self government[]

The residents at Harrison elect a house committee to act as peer-leaders. The committee also works with the Residence Coordinator, Don, floor proctors (RAs), and educational proctors to coordinate house social, educational, charity, athletic activities, etc.

Harrison House Presidents List[]

2020-2021 Cole Morash
2019-2020 Lexi Gavin
2018-2019 Louisa Gauvin
2017-2018 Holly Russell
2016-2017 Logan Blanchard
2015-2016 Dakota Van Dijk
2014-2015 Brett Pineau
2013-2014 Kyle Merritt
2012-2013 Chris Cormier/Erin Ferguson
2011-2012 Richard Sawler
2010-2011 Mark Devereux
2009-2010 Carolyn Wilson
2008-2009 Scott Carter
2007-2008 Brian Koval
2006-2007 Andrina DiFrancesco
2005-2006 Kyle Dorken
2004-2005 Kyle MacKenzie
2003-2004 Brent McCumber
2002-2003 Patrick "Hayseed" Rosebrook
2001-2002 Adam "Country" Harris
2000-2001 Erin Hardy
1998-2000 James "Jimbo" Titus
1997-1998 Andrew Dawson
1996-1997 Ryan Howard
1995-1996 Melanie Morrissey
1994-1995 Doug MacLean
1993-1994 Daniel Léger
1992-1993 Larry Whitman
1991-1992 Sean Daly
1990-1991 Dean Mullin
1989-1990 Ed Turpin

1968-1969 Alexander "Sandy" Hogan
1967-1968 Doug Mathews

Harrison House Don List[]

2017 House Don System Abolished
2016-2017 Phil Taber
2013-2016 Hannah Connon
2012-2013 Bronwyn Bonney
2010-2012 Brian Beaudette
2008-2010 Krystal Ford
2007-2008 Paul Mysak
2006-2007 T. M. Balls
2005-2007 G. M. Bowen
2003-2004 Bryna Fraser
2000-2003 Vicki Hape-Gould
1999-2000 Caroline Jones
1998-1999 Alexandre Banks
1997-1998 Rashmi Geol
1996-1997 Karen Geldart
1993-1996 Andrew Johnston
1992-1993 Ric Cuthberson
1990-1992 George Multamaki
198?-1990 Zalman Starr
1984-1985 Tony Giles
1983-1984 Peter Lovell
?-1983 Don MacAdam
1969-1977 Ken Windsor
1968-1969 Don Andrus
1966-1968 Mariano Piquer

Ken Windsor[]

Ken Windsor was Harrison Don from 1969–77 and was killed in car accident in Poland in 1979. An Associate Professor of History at UNB, he was responsible for many of the traditions and innovations within Harrison House and across the residence system as a whole. From tolerating the Pumpkin Sacrifice to introducing the student Janitorial Service, he inspired a generation of Harrisonians.^{[citation needed]}

Resident janitorial service[]

For many years, Harrison has had a UNB-sponsored student run co-operative house janitorial students whose employees were house residents. The basic idea was that if the residents were able to maintain an adequate level of cleanliness, they would benefit from the income as well as gaining responsibility.

The residence is one of two UNB residences that still maintains the student run Janitorial Service, also known as J-Staff.

Supervisor List

2018/19 - Brandon Horvath & Kordell Walsh

2017/18 - Cabot Morgan & Amanda Short

House events[]

Harrison House maintains the longest running tradition at UNB, The Great Pumpkin Sacrifice, which began in 1973. For the event a large pumpkin is carved in the face of the Roman god Janus. One side of the face is a happy face, the other a not-so-happy one. This represents the 'academic' harvest and that some are happy with the crop reaped, while others are not. House residents decorate campus and the city with pumpkins in the lead-up to the event, and mark the coming of the event by a two-minute howl at midnight on each of the seven days prior to the event. Silence marks the daylight hours of 31 October in a mark of the solemnity of the occasion and the judgement that will come in the sacrifice.^[1]

Leading up to midnight on Halloween, the Great Pumpkin is escorted by a cast of actors, wise-people, and house residents guarded by the Pumpkin's militia out of the house front doors, and across campus, blessed at the former Lady Dunn Hall courtyard (now Joy Kidd House), and returned to Harrison House where it is risen to the roof and sacrificially dropped and exploded (under the supervision of a pyro-technician). Although the event has always been prescribed to take place a midnight on Halloween, for several years in the early 2000s, the timing was adjusted to just before 10 PM, so that it would not interfere with university quiet hours.

Orientation week[]

For a few years, until the fall of 2006, Frosh Week in Harrison House included The Mr. and Mrs. Harrison contest. This was a voluntary cross-dressing pageant, in which new Harrisonians went before a panel of judges, composed of Orientation Committee members. Last crowned contestants were Kasey Menabney and Michael Cormier.

50th anniversary[]

House leadership has begun planning for a 50th anniversary celebration to be held from 29 to 31 October 2011 to coincide with the 39th annual Great Pumpkin Sacrifice.^[3]

Harrison House in the community[]

House charity[]

Residence's plan an all day curling tournament to raise money for Right To Play.^[1]

Notable alumni[]

• Catharine Pendrel - 2008 & 2012 Canadian Olympian
• Alexander O'Donnell - Splatalot Contestant, YTV

External links[]

• UNB website Harrison House page
• UNB campus map showing Harrison House location
• UNB Website main page

Coordinates: 45°56′45.55″N 66°38′26.83″W / 45.9459861°N 66.6407861°W / 45.9459861; -66.6407861

References[]